Sunday, January 31, 2016

Spinach and Artichoke Dip Stuffed Bread

Last weekend we got our first snowstorm of the season. I made sure to stop at the grocery store beforehand so that I could spend the weekend testing new recipes. I figured if I was going to be snowed in, I might as well be snowed in with a loaf of bread stuffed with cheese. I posted pictures of this appetizer on my instagram account, and I got tons of requests for the recipe. So, here it is as promised! I've made this a couple times since then, and so far its a hit. I'm thinking this might even be a contender for a superbowl party appetizer. It definitely makes for great football food, and I can assure you this appetizer would go perfectly with your favorite beer.

Ingredients:

1 french bread

1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 (10 oz) bag baby spinach leaves (or frozen spinach works too!!)

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese

1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

5 cloves garlic, minced

Parmesan cheese, grated, to top

olive oil, to brush on top

Recipe:

1. Saute the spinach, artichoke, and about half the garlic in a pot on medium heat. Add the mozzarella cheese and cream cheese. Mix until creamy.
2. Take the french bread, cut it into four sections, and hallow out the insides.

3. Stuff the bread with the spinach and artichoke dip. Use a spoon to pack the dip down to the bottom.
4. Line up the four pieces on a cutting board to create one big french bread again.
5. Slice the bread as shown below. Brush the top with olive oil, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and the remaining garlic.

6. Wrap the bread tightly in foil and bake the bread on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
7. Unwrap the bread and bake for an additional 5 minutes.